Obama likely to sign earmark-filled spending bill, Gibbs says

By Scott Wilson

Despite its thousands of earmarks, President Obama will probably sign the $447 billion omnibus spending bill passed by the Democratic-controlled Senate over the weekend, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Monday.

Obama has criticized earmarks -- specific spending items inserted by individual lawmakers -- as a candidate and as president. The omnibus bill contains more than 5,000 of them, although Gibbs said there were 15 percent fewer than in the last such spending measure.

Republican lawmakers are calling the bill an example of wasteful government spending, an issue that polls show is a political vulnerability for Democrats heading into a midterm election year.

Asked if Obama will veto the measure, Gibbs said he had not spoken to the president about it. But he added that "the likelihood is that keeping the government running is an important thing."

"The number of earmarks is down. We've made progress on that," Gibbs told reporters at his daily White House briefing. "There's no doubt we still have got a long way to go. But I think one of the goals obviously is to keep the government functioning right now."

I voted President Obama,Irememberhim sayig he didn'twant prk on bills. He is tryig to get te pork stopped. But when you have senators and congressmen who are either afrade they won't get relected to their jobs if they don't push through something their state wants or are gready, they put it in. This has been done for years and years,not by one party but both of them..Therefore If someting is real improtant and needs to be passed the president has to sign the bill.Some of this poblem falls on us. they need to stop the pork Put it in its own bill and then their people would know they are tryin.The ones that are making money from lobbist and gready need to be kicked out of office and taken to court, money given back or the poor.ths would stop the pork.

At what point does BO cross the line from "campaign rhetoric" and lying? I'm confident it started at least on the day he was inaugurated. What a disappointment and what an outrage this junior varsity-experienced but professional politician (Illinois style) is!

Question is; Will he read this one or are we in for another lie from Obama as he signs it in spite of his promise not to sign any bill he hasn't read? Looks like he's a puppet on the Pelosi/Reid string!

It should be no surprise to anyone that this bill is full of so-called earmark spending. It's what the original stimulus bill was full of as well. I'm sure Pelosi and her husband will benefit from some of the goodies in this bill that will be tied to his business dealings. It's the only way Obama knows how to do business. It's the Chicago way. How's that "change" going? Fuggedaboudit